Tooth-brush.



R. LUDINGTON. TOOTH BRUSH.

APPLIOATION FILED @11.21, 1909* 949,57. Patented Feb. l15, 1910.

:RAYMOND LUDINGTON, F

UNITED STATES :PATENT FFCE.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoR or CNE-HALF 'ro EMMA E.

JUST, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Toorn-BRUSH.

Application filed' April 21, 1909. Serial No. 491,327.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1910.

To .all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known vthat I, RAYMOND LUDING'TQN,

'a citizen of the United States, residing at- Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illi. nois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tooth-Brushes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tooth brushes and more specifically to that classthereof decasing thereforsaid housing being adapted signed to be foldedtogetherwhen not in use, so that the same may be readily carried in the pocket.

The object of my invention is to provide a tooth brush of the character mentioned, and in connection therewith a housing or to entirelyand completely incase the brush, when in folded position', so as to prevent contamination thereof while resting in the pointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1" is a side elevation of the preferred form of mybrush showing the same in extended position, Fig. 2 illustrates the brush in folded position, thehousing being shown in section, Fig '3 is a transverse section'taken on the line x of Fig. 2, Fig. 4

isv an enlarged detail top plan View illus- .tratin the hinge,.connectiony between the tooth rush handle and the housing, Fig.v 5 is an enlarged sectional detail illustrating the pivotal connection between the shank of the tooth brush back and the tooth brush handle, illustrating alsothe spring means employed therein for insuring a posltive positioning of the handle with reference to the tooth brush back when said parts` are in alinement with each other, Fig. 6, is a sec# tional detail taken on the line y y of Fig. 5, and Figs. 7 andA 8 are side elevations of the spring means embodied in the pivotal con* nection shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the'drawings the toothl brush proper shown therein is comprised of the back '1, the bristles 2 secured' in said back, and a handle 3 the forward end portion of which is pivotally secured by a pin 5 to the rearward end portion ofthe shank 5 of the back l. Said shank is preferably so formed that the handle 3, when in folded position, will rest just beyond the outward extremities of the brush bristles 2, as clearly shown in' Figs.'2 and 3, said handle being of such dimensions as to be adapted, when in such position to entirely coveror shield said bristle extremities. Hingedly connected to 1 the rearward extremity of the handle 3 is the housing or casing 4, said connection be tween said parts being effected preferably by a pin 3 which extends through a pair of lugs G formed at the extremity .of the member 4 and an interjacently -l ing lug 7 formed at and projecting from t e rearward f extremity of the handle 3. Said housing is of' such form that, when the tooth brush is in folded'position, the same is adapted to entirely incase said brush, the handle of said brush, when the latter is positioned in 4said housing, acting as a cover or'closure for the latter.

In 'order to effect a rigid yielding retention ofthe brushv shank and handle in alining position, I provide the contacting surfaces of said parts with centrally positioned longitudinally extending elongate slots or recesses 8 so arranged therein that,

when said parts are positioned in alinement as stated, said 'slots will be in registering position with each other. Provided in said recessesare curved leaf springs Vt) so arranged therein that the extremities of one thereof are adapted to forcibly engage the extremities of the other, when the brush shank andhandle are in alinement with each other. The contacting end surfaces of one of said vsprings being provided .with projections 10 and the contacting end surfaces vof the other with depressions 1ladaptsed to 'l snugly receive said projections, it is evident-105 that when said projections-.are in engagement with said depressions, the brush shank and handle will beheld in alinement with each other against all force such as is ordinarily applied to the brush during the manipulation thereof.

'While I haveA shown what I deem to be ythe preferable form of my invention, I do not AWish to be limited thereto, as there might be many changes made in the details'- the appended claims. And although in my preferable form I wish to employ a housing for the brush, it is understood that I may, if desired, dispense therewith and employ the brush only.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a device of the class described, the. combination of a tooth brush, a handle pivoted to said brush, and a housing hingedly connected to said handle adapted to incase said brush and handle when the latter are in folded position, substantially as described.

2L In a device of the class described, the

combination f a tooth brush, a curved shank rearwardly extending from the back of said brush, a handle in pivotal connection with saidshank, and spring means interposed between the contacting surfaces of said shank andhandle for yieldingly holdf ing said brush and handle in operative position relative to each other, said means comprising similar leaf springs provided 1n their contacting surfaces with co-acting projections and depressions adapted to inter'- lock when said partsare arranged in operative position, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tooth brush, a curved shank rearwardly extending from the back of said brush, a handle one end of which is in pivotal c onnection with said shank, and spring means interposed between the' contacting surfaces of said shank and handle for yieldingly holding said brush and han'- ie in alining position, said means comprising co-acting leaf springs seated in slots provided in said contacting surfaces, the

contacting 'surfaces of said springs being provided with registering perforations and depressions adapted to interlock when said parts are arranged .in operative position, and a housing hingedly connected to the opposite end 'of said handleA adapted to in- 

